A prayer ceremony for Larung Gar that took place in Dharamsala on 19 October

19th October 2016

The statement is part of a day of action taking place across the globe for Larung Gar

Over 180 Tibetan organisations from around the world have condemned the ongoing removals and demolitions at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in one of the largest joint statements ever made by Tibetan organisations.

In the statement, the organisations describe the damage being done to Larung Gar and urge the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, to call on China to halt the demolitions and removals. The statement also calls on the High Commissioner to push for an official visit to Tibet, including to Larung Gar.

Groups from Tibet, Asia, Africa, the Americas, Australasia and Europe are all represented in the statement.

The call comes as part of the Global Day of Action for Larung Gar, today on 19 October, in which protests are taking place in at least 20 cities around the world. A prayer ceremony has already taken place in Dharamsala with a large audience.

Joint statement by Tibet groups on Larung Gar, 19 October 2016

As Tibetans and Tibet campaigners, we are gravely concerned by the damage and destruction being caused by the Chinese authorities at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, one of the largest and most respected Buddhist institutions in the world, and home to at least 10,000 monks, nuns and visiting students. In July 2016 the Chinese authorities begun plans to expel at least 5,000 of the Academy residents and demolish the vacated monks and nuns homes.

An order, issued by local Chinese authorities in June 2016, called for a dramatic reduction in the Larung Gar’s population stating the community was in need of “ideological guidance” from the state. Since July 2016 at least 600 residences have been destroyed, while as many as 1,000 Tibetan monks and nuns have been expelled. If the Chinese government’s plan is successfully completed, at least 5,000 residents will be forced to leave and great swathes of this beautiful site will be reduced to rubble.

The order also has a series of rigid deadlines for the demolitions and removals, and strict penalties for failure to meet the deadlines, including further, punitive expulsions. Local sources have even reported threats that the entire site could be demolished if residents do not comply with the order. The next impending deadlines are 20 October, by which time 1,200 residents must be removed, and 31 October, when their residences must be demolished.

Evicted monks and nuns were not consulted prior to the order being issued. On 20 July 2016 a work team, accompanied by armed police and soldiers, began cordoning off areas of the site before demolishing buildings with bulldozers and diggers. The distress that this has caused is highlighted by reports that, since July, three Tibetan nuns at Larung Gar have committed suicide; two of the nuns, Rinzin Drolma and Tsering Drolma, left notes referring to the demolitions and government “harassment.”

This situation represents an intolerable imposition of state control at Larung Gar, and is representative of a far wider pattern of interference by the Chinese government in Tibet’s religious affairs that is in direct contravention of the Chinese Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both of which guarantee freedom of religious belief, with no discrimination or compulsion. We urge the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to call on China to halt the ongoing demolitions and removals at Larung Gar, and allow local Tibetan religious leaders to make the decisions concerning the management of monasteries. We also urge the High Commissioner continue pushing for a visit to China with a specific request for unfettered access to Tibet, and to Larung Gar.

Aide aux Refugies Tibetains

Association Dorje

Association Drôme Ardèche-Tibet

Associazione Italia-Tibet

Briancon05 Urgence Tibet

Caisse d’Aide aux Prisonniers Tibetains

Casa del Tibet – Spain

Comite de Apoyo al Tibet (CAT)

Comite de Soutien au Peuple Tibetain (Les Lilas)

Corse – Tibet

Eco-Tibet France

EcoTibet Ireland

France-Tibet

Free Tibet

Groupe Non-Violent Louis Lecoin, France

Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete, Portugal

International Society of Human Rights, Munich Chapter (IGFM)

Jamtse Thundel Association

La Porte du Tibet, Geneva

Les Amis du Tibet – Belgium

Les Amis du Tibet Luxembourg

Lions Des Neiges Mont Blanc, France

Maison des Himalayas

Maison du Tibet – Tibet Info

Nice Tibet

Nos Amis de l’Himalaya

Objectif Tibet

Passeport Tibetain

Phagma Drolma-Arya Tara

Reseau International des Femmes pour le Tibet

Save Tibet, Austria

Society for Threatened Peoples International

Students for a Free Tibet – France

Students for a Free Tibet – UK

Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association (GSTF)

Tibet 59 / 62

Tibet Democratie

Tibet Initiative Deutschland

Tibets Kinder im Exile V.

Tibet Liberte Solidarite

Tibet Libertes, France

Tibet Society, U.K.

Tibet Support Group – Ireland

Tibet Support Group – Netherlands

Tibet Unterstutzung Liechtenstein

Tibetan Association of Germany

Tibetan Community Austria

Tibetan Community in Britain

Tibetan Community in Ireland

Tibetan Youth Association in Europe

Tsowa-Maintenir la Vie, France

Vrienden Van Tibet

Autodétermination-Tibet 09/31

Tibetan Community of Italy

Tibetaanse-Vlaamse Vriendenkring vzw

Lungta Association Belgium

Association of Free Tibet

Friends of Tibet in Finland

Swedish Tibet Committee

The Norwegian Tibet Committee

Tibet Support Committee Denmark

Tibetan Community in Denmark

Tibetan Community Sweden

Students for a Free Tibet Denmark

Fair Society o.s.

Friends of Tibet Slovakia

Friends of Tibet Society St. Petersburg, Russia

International Youth Human Rights Group – Human Rights in Tibet

Lithuanian Tibet Culture Foundation

Polish Movement for a Free Tibet

Save Tibet Foundation

Society for Croatia-Tibet Friendship

Students for a Free Tibet, Poland

The Foundation for Civil Society, Russia

Tibet cesky (Tibet in Czech)

Tibet Support Association – Hungary

Tibet Support Group – Krasnodar Region, Russia

Tibet Support Group – Romania

Tibet Support Group – Sochi Region, Russia

Tibetan Community in Poland

Tibetan Programme of The Other Space Foundation

TSG – Slovenia

Union Latvija Tibetai (Latvia for Tibet )

Zida Cels, Latvia

Tibetan Association of Slovakia

Friends of Tibet Bulgaria

Israeli Friends of the Tibetan People

Tibet Support Group Kenya

Dalai Lama Movement East Africa

Association Cognizance Tibet, North Carolina

Bay Area Friends of Tibet

Boston Tibet Network

Canada Tibet Committee

Colorado Friends of Tibet

Committee of 100 for Tibet

Dhokam Chushi Gangdruk

International Tibet Independence Movement

Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association

San Diego Friends of Tibet

Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet

Sierra Friends of Tibet

Snow Lion Foundation

Students for a Free Tibet

Students for a Free Tibet – Canada

The Tibetan Alliance of Chicago

The World Tibet Day Foundation

Tibet Committee of Fairbanks

Tibet Justice Center

Tibetan Association of Ithaca

Tibetan Association of Northern California

Tibetan Association of Philadelphia

Tibetan Association of Santa Fe

Tibetan Association of Southern California

Tibetan Cultural Association – Quebec

TIBETMichigan

Tibet Oral History Project

Toronto Tibet Youth Congress

U.S. Tibet Committee

Western Colorado Friends of Tibet

Wisconsin Tibetan Association

United Nations for a Free Tibet (UNFFT)

Amigos del Tibet, El Salvador

Asociación Cultural Peruano Tibetana

Asociación Cultural Tibetano – Costarricense

Casa Tibet Mexico

Centro De Cultura Tibetana – Brazil *

Centro Cultural Colombo Tibetano

Grupo De Apoyo a Tibet Chile *

Grupo Pro-Cultura Tibetana, Chile *

Le Club Francais – Paraguay

Tibet Mx (Pensando en Tibet)

Tibet Group-Panama

Tíbet Patria Libre, Uruguay

Fundación Pro Tibet – Argentina

Friends of Tibet in Costa Rica

World League for Freedom and Democracy

Bharrat Tibbat Sahyog Manch, India

Core Group for Tibetan Cause, India

Foundation for Universal Responsibility of H. H. the Dalai Lama

Gannasamannay

Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet

Himalayan Committee for Action on Tibet

India Tibet Friendship Society

Japan Association of Monks for Tibet (Super Sangha)

Lung-Ta Project

Mahatma Gandhi Tibet Freedom Movement

National Campaign for Tibetan Support, India

National Democratic Party of Tibet

Roof of the World Foundation, Indonesia

Students for a Free Tibet Japan

Students for a Free Tibet India

Taiwan Friends of Tibet

Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation

The Youth Liberation Front of Tibet, Mongolia and Turkestan

Tibet Lives, India

Tibet Solidarity Forum, Bangladesh

Tibet Support Group Kiku, Japan

Tibet Support Network Japan

Tibetan Student Association, Madras (TSAM)

Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre

Tibetan Rights and Freedom Committee (TRFRC)

Tibetan Women’s Association (Central)

Tibetan Youth Congress

Japan Committee of 100 for TIbet

Ns3 Rigpa Community Builder’s Foundation

Anterrashtriya Bharat – Tibbet Sahyog Samiti

A.C.T. Tibet Support Group

Australia Tibet Council

Friends of Tibet New Zealand

Students for a Free Tibet New Zealand

Tibet Action Group of Western Australia

Tibet Support Group Adelaide – Australia

Tibetan Community of Victoria

Tibetan Women Association and Friends Australia (TWAFA)

Sakya Trinley Ling

Take action

Add your voice to the international pressure calling on China to halt further removals and demolitions.